How were cosmetics in the past? How did they smell, how was their feel? This is something that always fascinated me since I was a kid, imagining those antique dressing tables with precious glass bottles, perfumed powders and elegant silver grooming sets. I even bought one at an antiquities store with my savings as soon as I was able to, back when I was a teenager.

Thanks to my small collection of antique perfumery and cosmetic formularies, I’ve been able to satisfy this curiosity... and I’m very excited to share it with you!

So, if you’re just curious about it, or if you would love to recreate those cosmetics at home to feel, even if just for one moment, how those products were back then, keep reading, because I have something really special for you.

We’ll analyze the original formula, see how to reproduce it now and explore 2 modern versions that keep the spirit alive.

A 1930 Beauty Water – The Ancestor of Facial Toners

One of the very first vintage cosmetics I reproduced is a beauty water I discovered in a 1930 Spanish beauty manual by Dr. Bausá, titled “Para conservar la belleza sin perder la salud” (To preserve beauty without losing health). That lovely small book was probably written for small beauty and health professionals, artisans and educated women of the 1930s middle and upper class, aiming to educate about hygiene, health and beauty, with over 300 scientific formulas to make cosmetics and perfumes.

Among all those recipes, some were made with ingredients we don’t use anymore. But I carefully selected the ones that can still be reproduced today using the same ingredients or very similar ones, preserving their original soul.

One of the recipes that immediately captured my heart was a beauty water named “Agua para mantener terso el cutis” – Water to keep the complexion smooth and firm.

The Purpose and Charm of the Formula

The goal of this ancestral facial toner was to keep the skin supple and tight, promoting a youthful complexion. It was a delicately scented lotion blending rose water, orange blossom water, a touch of alcohol and glycerin.

These kinds of “cosmetic waters” or “toilet waters” were common in the early 1900s. Women used to keep beautifully labeled flacons on their vanity tables, applying them morning and evening to refresh and tone their face. But that wasn’t all, they would also apply them on their hands and décolleté to maintain firmness, elasticity and for the lovely refreshing scent, especially in summer. So, it was not only a skincare step, but also a sensorial and uplifting moment of self-care.

Analyzing the Original Formula

Let’s now look into the formula, understanding the ingredients used and their function. You’ll find the original Spanish version in the picture. I translated it for you and added the percentages to make it easier to understand.

The Original Recipe

• Rose hydrosol: 1000 g (≈64%)
• Glycerin: 420 g (≈27%)
• Orange blossom/neroli hydrosol: 70 g (≈4.5%)
• Alcohol (95°): 70 g (≈4.5%)
• Geranium essential oil: 15 drops (≈0.04%)
• Potassium eosinate: 15 drops (≈0.04%)

Focus on the Ingredients

The base of this simple but fascinating beauty water is a blend of rose and orange blossom hydrosols, that are soothing, toning and softening for the skin. What I particularly appreciate is the elegance of this proportion: just 4.5% of orange blossom hydrosol adds a touch of sophistication to the rose water, elevating the scent without overwhelming it.

The aromatic result is absolutely delightful. Since trying it, I started using similar blends in my modern toner formulations to naturally perfume them. It feels like a tiny beauty secret whispered through time. I encourage you to experiment too, playing with different ratios. Personally, I’ve gone up to 20% orange blossom for a stronger neroli note, while still preserving the rosy balance.

Then there’s that subtle addition of geranium essential oil, just 1 drop if you're making 100g. It might seem like an unnecessary detail, but during my tests, I could feel the difference. It adds vibrancy and also helps to reduce any undesired scent, like that of certain preservatives containing benzyl alcohol, like Cosgard.

The main active here is glycerin, a humectant that was widely loved at the time for its great hydrating power. But why is the percentage so high?

Back then, they believed that in high quantities, glycerin also helped preserve the formula. And while it's true that at high percentages (around 70-80%) it can slow down microbial growth, 27% is not quite enough to ensure full preservation. It offers a beautiful hydrating effect, but at that level the texture becomes noticeably tacky.

However, they had a clever solution: adding 4.5% alcohol to cut the stickiness and provide a refreshing, toning touch. Alcohol was also used for its preservative properties, even if at this percentage, it’s not really effective alone.

Today, we know that alcohol isn’t ideal for sensitive and dry skin, but in low quantities and well-balanced with humectants, like in this formula, it poses minimal risk. As modern DIY cosmetics formulators, we often use alcohol-based extracts, but what matters is balancing them with soothing, hydrating ingredients.

Alcohol also helps disperse the geranium essential oil. Was it enough? Probably not fully and separation may occur after a few days, but it wasn’t considered a big issue back then… just shake before use!

Finally, the colorant: potassium eosinate, or CI 45380, which added a soft rosy hue. It’s still used today but isn’t EcoCert-approved. I replaced it with beetroot extract: hydrosoluble and with a lovely pink, though it’s quite unstable and fades to orange with time. Still, a romantic touch if you feel like adding it.

The Practice: Let’s Recreate the Recipe

Let’s now reproduce it at home, to experience its real feel and travel back in time to the early 1900s, imagining yourself as a graceful woman freshening up before stepping into a day of elegance and soft perfumes.

All the ingredients are widely available today. I only replaced the colorant (totally optional).

Original Recipe (for 100g):

• Rose hydrosol — 64 %
• Glycerin — 27 %
• Orange blossom (neroli) water — 4.5 %
• Alcohol (ethanol 95°) — 4.5 %
• 1 drop of geranium essential oil (optional)
• 1 drop of beetroot extract or any hydrosoluble cosmetic colorant (optional)

Method: Simply mix all ingredients together. If using the geranium essential oil, dissolve it in the alcohol before mixing with the rest.
Use within a week (more info on preservation below).

How It Feels on the Skin

I must say that this ancient beauty water really surprised me. I expected it to feel overly sticky due to the high glycerin, but I was wrong. That small amount of alcohol cleverly reduces the tackiness, giving a lovely sensorial feel.

Of course, it’s very different from what we’re used to nowadays, with all those ingredients that create silky, weightless textures. When applied, it feels heavier than modern toners, but leaves the skin plump, bouncy and deeply hydrated. I bet dry skin types would love it.

Considering that creams of the time were mostly greasy cold creams made with lots of fats and beeswax, this beauty water must have been a refreshing alternative. A light way to feel deeply hydrated, toned and fresh, something you’d crave throughout the day, especially in summer.

And the scent? It’s divine. Elegant, floral and nostalgic, with that perfect harmony between rose and neroli. It really transports you, like stepping into an old movie scene where a 1930s diva brushes her hair in a silk robe beside a table filled with charming glass bottles.

A Note on Preservation

Is this recipe self-preserving? Not really, not by today’s standards.

As mentioned, the alcohol and glycerin help a little, but not enough to guarantee safety over time. Back then, products were often made fresh or in small quantities that were used up quickly, much like fresh food.

Also, they genuinely thought they were self-preserving. Their main indicators of spoilage were changes in smell and clarity, so if the cosmetic still looked transparent and smelled pleasant, they considered it fine. And I have to admit that my test version, left in its bottle for over a month, still looked and smelled lovely, but of course, that doesn’t mean it was microbiologically safe to use.

In many cases, pharmacists and perfumers likely prepared these kinds of products fresh or in small quantities they knew would sell quickly. Customers probably used them often and finished them before any visible spoilage occurred. 

In theory, the hydrosols used at the time were freshly made and not preserved with alcohol or preservatives, which raises another question: was the recipe assuming you were using already preserved hydrosols? We’ll never know for sure, but it’s likely that visual clarity and fragrance were the main preservation indicators they relied on.

There’s also an additional note in the book: “Shake vigorously, add kaolin and filter through paper moistened with alcohol.” This wasn’t a preservation method, but rather a clarification technique. Kaolin helped trap fine particles that might make the liquid cloudy. A clear cosmetic gave the illusion of being uncontaminated, another way they evaluated shelf stability with the limited knowledge and instruments they had at the time.

Preservation Tip: Make a very small amount (e.g., 10g), store in the fridge and use within a week. You can also freeze it in small batches and defrost only what you’ll use that week. Or, to make it safer and longer-lasting, simply add a preservative like 0.6% Cosgard.

A Modern Variation: Inspired by the Past

Let’s now look at two modernized versions of the recipe: safely preserved, gentle and pleasant to use, but still carrying the mood of the original.

Modern Recipe 1

• Rose hydrosol — 85.4 %
• Orange blossom water — 7 %
• Glycerin — 5 %
• Alcohol (ethanol 95°) — 2 %
• Cosgard or similar broad spectrum preservative — 0.6 %
• 1 drop beetroot extract or other colorant (optional)
• 1 drop geranium EO + 4 drops Solubol (optional)

Easy to make, this version is the closest to the original, with less glycerin and a touch of alcohol. Cosgard does have a scent, so the optional essential oil helps mask it. Check that the pH is around 5.5.

Modern Recipe 2 (Alcohol-Free & Balanced)

• Rose hydrosol — 84.2%
• Orange blossom (neroli) water — 10%
• Glycerin — 2%
• Dermosoft® 1388 eco — 3%
• Kernox™ BS — 0.8%
• 1 drop beetroot extract (optional)
• 1 drop geranium essential oil + 4 drops Solubol (optional)
  
  

This second version is the most modern and universally skin-friendly one. It's completely alcohol-free, with a soft, low level of glycerin for hydration without any stickiness, making it ideal even for sensitive or oily skin types. What makes it even more special is the preservative blend:

• Dermosoft® 1388 eco (Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate)
  
  
• Kern BS (Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate)
  
  

This duo offers a broad-spectrum, neutral-smelling preservation system that I love using when I want the delicate floral scent of hydrosols to shine, without being masked by a stronger preservative smell.

pH note: To ensure this preservation system works effectively, it’s important to keep the pH between 5.2 and 5.5. If it drops below 5, you might notice the formation of crystals, so stay within that range for optimal stability and efficacy. Less effective above 5.5.

Inspired and Looking for More?

I hope this article inspired you, satisfied your curiosity, and made you feel like you traveled in time. If you’re intrigued by beauty and cosmetic history, click here to see all my posts in this category… and stay tuned, because I’m planning to share many more treasures from my collection of antique books and magazines!

Follow me on Instagram too, where I often post stories with rare findings from my vintage beauty books.